Libs monster Nehta, could cull PCEHR

Beverley Head
Wednesday, 20 July 2011 13:57

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

The Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record - which has secured Government funding of more than $466 million - could be scrapped by a Liberal Government. Senator Sue Boyce, Liberal Senator for Queensland, used a speech at a Sydney health administration conference today to claim there was no established evidence-based case for the benefits of a PCEHR; attack the National eHealth Transition Authority; and, brand much of the Government investment made to date in e-health initiatives a waste of taxpayer money.

Senator Boyce characterised her speech as 'a possible platform for the Liberal Party's intended direction.'

While she acknowledged the need for a national, consistent ehealth system, and said that progress had been made over the last 15 years, she added; 'Politicians, health professionals, taxpayers are totally justified in asking the question: 'Well, where the bloody hell is it?''

Senator Boyce who has previously grilled the head of Nehta Peter Fleming in Budget Estimates meetings said that; 'The rationale of E-Health systems is that providers, provider organisations and patients can securely and efficiently exchange data and can, as a result, have the potential to unlock substantially greater quality, safety and efficiency benefits.'

But in her speech she argued that a series of fragmented approaches, at Federal, State and Territory level, some of which had since been abandoned, had not delivered against that vision. Nor was the PCEHR any form of silver bullet.

Senator Boyce questioned the value from the 2010-11 Budget allocation of $466.7 million over two years to create a PCEHR system which would be available on an opt-in basis to all Australians. The Concept of Operations for that system was released in April and a series of trials are now underway.

According to Senator Boyce; 'There is no established evidence-based case for the benefits of a PCEHR,' suggesting that a Liberal Government could scrap the entire programme.